Dear Reader, October 2020 Every year around High Feast time, I wonder, “Is there anything new to share?” Then I come across an article like the one about the Jewish wedding canopy — the huppah — a temporary structure (like the sukkah) that reminds the people under its cover of God’s steadfast protection. It’s a fascinating parallel (p. 28). The cover story tells about Sukkot, so you can see the huppah’s origin. ZOLA LEVITT MINISTRIES P.O. BOX 12268 The article on 1973’s Yom Kippur War continues with an account of one hero’s DALLAS, TX 75225-0268 white-knuckle actions (8). God’s blessings certainly guided this battle.

OFFICE: Kirsten discusses how worshiping has changed during Covid, and how, since 214-696-8844 Paul effectively spread the Gospel during adverse times, so can we (6). Israeli [email protected] scientists have been innovative during this pandemic. They’re using a choles- terol drug to inhibit this virus’s ability to reproduce (27). And students at Israel’s 24-HOUR Technion are printing cool, 3D prosthetic hands for children (26). Purchases & Donations 800-966-3377 Chaplain Todd Baker affirms Scripturally that no matter how you debate it, Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah (12). Tony’s timely Bible study of Ecclesiastes TOURS: continues (4), and ZLM’s webmaster Greg shares his research (7) about our 214-696-9760 Lord’s name progressing from “Yeshua” to “Iesous” to “Jesus” through differences [email protected] in alphabets! (Who knew?)

WEBSITE: Looking toward November’s election, Berg Productions’s Clayton Herring advises www.levitt.com us to re-watch Kings and Kingdoms for clues to how Godly values and behavior ensure successful leaders (21), and this month’s Hebrew Lesson stresses that SECURE ONLINE DONATIONS: genuine moral conviction is an essential quality in upright leaders (16). https://www.levitt.com/donate (one time or recurring) Please remember to vote and also to Sha’alu shalom Yerushalayim — Pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Ps. 122:6)

Margot, Editor Zola Levitt Ministries P.S . If you like what you see here and on our TV programs, please sup- Enhancing Trust port ZLM so we can continue bringing you news about Israel and the Gospel of Yeshua. Mark Levitt’s state-of-the-ministry report (14) should reassure you that together we’re fighting a winnable battle! Thanks in advance for standing with us and with Yeshua HaMashiach.

PLEASE DETACH Yes, Margot, I want to be a part of what God is doing through Zola Levitt Ministries. AND SEND THIS Enclosed is my contribution of: Or securely donate using contacts above left. BOTTOM PORTION o $25 o $50 o $100 o $250 o $1,000 o Other $______WITH YOUR GIFT. Please charge my contribution to my credit card: MC Visa Discover Thank You o o o Card #:______Card code:______We’d appreciate any address corrections. Gifts Signature______Card exp. date:____ /____ to ZLM are tax-deductible Printed Name: ______­­ Donor #______as allowed by law. (See number above your name on mailing label) Address: ______Date signed ______o Please contact me with Estate Planning City ______State_____ ZIP: ______information. Email (optional): ______Phone ______OCTOBER 2020

Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that Levitt they might be saved. LETTER — Romans 10:1

inside: Can’t Argue with God p.4 (1894/5), by Leopold Pilichowski (1869–1933), The Jewish Museum (New York City) (1894/5), by Leopold Pilichowski (1869–1933), The Jewish Museum (New York Sukkot in the Synagogue

To What is Sukkot? Index By Lauren Markoe / CharismaNews.com U.S. Christians Departing

. Why are my Jewish neighbors eating in from Core Truths Q By Brandon Showalter, a little house in their yard this week? ChristianPost.com A: That’s a sukkah that they’ve constructed for A new survey Sukkot, a major Jewish holiday that celebrates shows that the ma- the harvest and commemorates the Israelites’ jority of Americans wandering in the desert for 40 years after their no longer believe liberation from Egyptian slavery. A sukkah that Jesus is the path symbolizes the temporary dwelling they lived to salvation and instead believe that in before they reached the Promised Land. being a good person is sufficient. “For a seven-day period you shall live in According to the Arizona Christian booths,” God commands in Leviticus 23:42–43. University-based Cultural Research “In order that your ensuing generations Center’s American Worldview Invento- should know that I had the children of Israel ry, the latest findings — exploring per- live in booths when I took them out of the ceptions of sin and salvation — show land of Egypt.” that nearly two-thirds of Americans Q. Can a sukkah be your garage, tool shed, believe that having some kind of faith or sun porch? is more important than the particular faith with which someone aligns. A: Nope. There are many specific rules about building a sukkah. Among them: It’s got to Sixty-eight percent who embrace that (continued p.2) notion identify as Christians, including REMEMBER: 56% of self-described evangelicals Sukkot 2020 Friday, October 2 to Friday, and 62% of those who identify as October 9 (sunset to sunset) (continued p.3) What is Sukkot? continued from cover be outdoors under the open sky, and it may not stand so tall that it feels like a house. Sukkah builders have plenty of choices for the wall material. But the ancient rabbis required the roof to be made of something natural, like bamboo, cornstalks, or straw. It must provide shade but also allow the stars to be seen at night. The sukkah is purposely an impermanent structure that reminds Jews of earthly creations’ fragility, contrasting with the solidity of faith and tradition. Etrog (citron) and silver etrog box Meant to be a joyous place, many sukkot (pl) are used on the Jewish holiday of Sukkot decorated with children’s drawings. Sukkah meals are to be shared with guests. Q. How can you build a sukkah if you live in an apartment building? A: Balcony. In Israel, you see them on balconies everywhere. No balcony? Apartment-dwelling Jews often build a communal sukkah on the roof or next to the building … or go to the sukkah of a synagogue or friend. Q. Do you have to sleep in there too? A: Yes but no. The Talmud (Jewish rabbinic teachings) teaches that a man should dwell in the sukkah during Sukkot, making it his home for the holy days. But the obligation is lifted if sleeping there would be uncomfortable. To Most Western Jews sleep in their bedrooms during the holiday. Index Q. Why are my Jewish neighbors shaking a long green thing and a giant lemon? A: The yellow citrus fruit is called an “etrog.” The green thing is the “lulav,” a palm branch that is grouped with myrtle and willow branches and an etrog. Together they make up the four species mentioned in Leviticus 23:40. During Sukkot prayers, they are gathered in the hands and waved — up and down, left and right, forward and back — representing God’s presence in all directions. Q. I don’t think they sell etrogs at my supermarket. A: They probably don’t. Jews around the world usually order them and lulavs from Israel.

Read more about Sukkot on p. 28 1

2 OCTOBER 2020 CONTENTS LevittLETTER

Teaching 4 Can’t Argue with God 18 ZLM Order Form (Ecclesiastes 6) 4 21 How Believers Vote Studio Co-host 6 The Quarantined Church 22 Letters to ZLM 7 How Did “Yeshua” 25 Crossword Puzzle Become “Jesus”? 6 Science 26 Free 3D-Printed 8 The Yom Kippur War: Hands for Children When Israel Was Judged Medicine and Nearly Failed (part 2) 10 27 Cholesterol Drug Classic Zola Tames COVID-19 10 God’s Blessings and Cursings (part 2) 28 The Huppah Ask the Chaplain and Sukkot 12 The Curse of King Jeconiah 12 30 Select Media Briefs 13 Jerusalem in 2020 Archaeology 32 Two Archaeological A Note from Mark Articles 14 The State of the Ministry 14 15 ZLM Bulletin Board 35 Jewish Humor Parsons: Hebrew Lesson 35 TV Airing Schedule 16 Beware the Seeming Way 16

U.S. Christians Departing from … continued from cover sidebar Pentecostals. Sixty-seven percent of mainline percent said that right and wrong is Protestants and 77% of Catholics also determined by factors other than the Bible. embraced that idea. Fifty-nine percent said that the Bible is not Slightly over half of Christian respondents God’s authoritative and true Word, and said they believe that someone can attain 69% said people are basically good. salvation by “being or doing good,” a In other words, most people believe that figure that includes 46% of Pentecostals, the purpose of life is feeling good about 44% of mainline Protestants, 41% of yourself. The Center has documented shifts evangelicals, and 70% of Catholics. in worldview among Americans in recent In addition to the viewpoint that eternal decades. Whereas 30 years ago, people salvation can be earned, survey results spent considerable time thinking and show that 58% of Americans believe that learning about God, much of the current no absolute moral truth exists* and that culture has become self-focused. 1 the basis of truth derives from factors or sources other than God. Seventy-seven * See page 16.

ZOLA LEVITT MINISTRIES . PO BOX 12268 . DALLAS TX 75225-0268 . (214) 696-8844 . WWW.LEVITT.COM 3 Chapters 1–4 of this Ecclesiastes study appeared in our monthly Personal Letters, beginning in February.

Tony Derrick Theologian for Can’t Argue with God: Eccles. 6 Zola Levitt Ministries We have walked with Solo- mon through five chapters of Ecclesiastes in which he has given his perspective on a wide range of life situations. Solomon wrote about the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (with apol- ogies to Clint Eastwood, et al.) regarding life. His conclusion remained the same in each entry: “It is vanity, futility, and chasing the wind.” What We Know (6:1–2) Read carefully the first two verses of chapter six. Could Solomon be referring to Back to himself? What he writes Cover definitely fits. We know that God greatly blessed Solomon in order for him to rule Israel with Jacob Wrestles with the Angel (Gen. 32:24-32), wisdom. Look back at by Gustave Doré from Doré's English Bible (1866) To 1 Kings 3:11–12, Index Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for understanding to discern justice, behold I have done according to your words: see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.”

Even as God gave Solomon all that he could ever want, it appears that Solomon was not able to enjoy the gifts. Notice how the 2nd verse ends; “a foreigner en- joys them.” The Hebrew word nokri describes an alien — a person from another land. Someone was stealing Solomon’s opportunity to enjoy life. Can you remember a time in your life when everything was running smoothly, but for some reason you had the blahs? I will answer for all of us: Yes! It could have been caused by a judgmental comment from someone you consid- ered a friend, or by the evil you see in the world. Remember, Satan is active in this world, ready to steal your joy and destroy your life. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). At times, we may conclude that life just isn’t fair. Let’s visit another person in the Bible who had every right to question and blame God: Job. Job wasn’t privy to the conversation in Heaven between God and Satan. While Job lost every- thing — and he did complain — he finally settled the issue of God’s sovereignty. When you have time, read about Job. You will be inspired! (continued next page) 4 Solomon in Old Age, by Gustave Doré (1832–1883) from Doré's English Bible (1866)

Solomon’s Dark Side (6:3–5) I would prefer to skip the next three verses, but we’re studying through Ecclesiastes. By this method, even if you don’t like it, you can’t skip it. Solomon mentions a few ideas that might make his life better. What about having numerous children? He decides that doesn’t help. Now we enter the controversial dark side. Solomon concludes that if life cannot be enjoyed, it’s better to never have been born or to be stillborn. I apologize because no doubt some of you have dealt with the devastation that surrounds this disappointment. I believe that Solomon has missed the mark in these verses. He is in a very dark place, emotionally. The Darkness Continues (6:6–9) Can a man be satisfied if he lives a thousand years twice? Solomon concludes that even a life that long ends up in the grave. If life is hard, what difference does 2,000 years make? Extra time would not relieve man of hardship. In verses seven and eight, Solomon talks about working harder; but that doesn’t bring satisfaction. Do wisdom and wealth automatically translate to happiness? Wait! Remember who is writing? Solomon is the wisest and wealthiest man in the world, and he is the one questioning everything. So, should Believers* stop pressing forward? Should we Solomon is stop dreaming? I understand that we each need to keep our feet firmly planted in reality and not let our dreams rule the wisest and our lives. As one expression goes, we need to “keep it real.” That is not to say that our world doesn’t need visionaries. To wealthiest man If Zola Levitt had not been an inspired visionary, then Index Zola Levitt Ministries would not exist. Zola was a musician in the world, at heart but an educator in his soul. He had a clear vision and undaunted passion for what God wanted him to and he is the do. I think he succeeded. Don’t you? Spoiler Alert: God is Sovereign (6:10–12) one questioning Verse 10 clearly asserts that everything is in God’s hands. Nothing takes Him by surprise. As Jeremiah relates (1:5), everything. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” Do you ever argue with God or second-guess Him? I’ve noted verse 10 before and, believe me, it is a tough pill to swallow. Nebuchad- nezzar found out the hard way that God always prevails. “All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” (Daniel 4:35) In conclusion, Solomon realizes that time passes quickly and that everyone is subject to God’s will. What does the future hold? Who could have imagined a few months ago the chaotic state of our world today? Only God knows what comes next — giving Believers all the more reason to secure our anchor to the “Chief Cornerstone of our faith.” Paul wrote these words to the Ephesians, “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:19–20). 1

* “Believer” is short for “believer in Yeshua/Jesus as Messiah.” 5 Kirsten Hart Studio co-host of The Quarantined Church Our Jewish Roots Since March, we’ve all been in a bit of a quandary. Most of us have endured an unforeseen state of disarray since Covid-19 began affecting our routines. Yet here we are; we’ve made it to October. Apparently, since you’re reading this article, you’re still alive and, we hope, healthy. So what do we do about our uncertainty regarding the quarantined church? “Quarantine” generally refers to being isolated because of exposure to a disease or virus. While some of us have been quarantined, the majority sheltered in place. What a difference this new normal has made. Our churches look very different compared to this time last year. Pew sitters are navigating new waters, but they're not uncharted waters. Covid-19 is the first worldwide in John’s life, God continued to speak. pandemic in our generation that has Believers still read those very Bible closed church doors. Yet the Church’s verses today. work triumphantly marches on. We’ve learned what the Apostles knew While Paul was under house arrest in To two millennia ago — the Church that Rome, he authored Philippians, Ephe- Index the Lord Himself spoke of is neither sians, Colossians, and Philemon. House defined nor inhibited by manmade arrest, combined with the inability walls. We (His people) are the Church, to attend “church,” if you will, didn’t and nothing can stop God’s Word from stop Paul from sharing the Gospel. In spreading from our lips. fact, his time in confinement provided a dedicated season for writing letters and spreading the Word of God. In some ways, this period in the life of the Church may be a blessing in disguise. The 2020 Coronavirus season has given us Christians ample opportunity to sit and read the Bible to our hearts’ content. We have had time to be creative in how we worship and reach out to others. Churches Every fall (except this one because of everywhere have proven that even the pandemic), we travel to Greece. though the traditions we’re used to A highlight of the Greek extension is look different, different isn’t always visiting the island of Patmos. John, the bad. God cannot be contained; He is Disciple and Apostle, was confined forever omni­present. No virus can to that small island. While under stop Him or slow Him down. house arrest there, he was shown May you continue to count your images that he described in the Book blessings in this season, and remem- of Revelation. Despite the shut-off ber to always pray for the peace of location and unfortunate circumstances Jerusalem. 1

6 How Did “Yeshua” Become “Jesus”? BY GREG HARTWIG (r) www.levitt.com webmaster (ישוע) ”If you’ve been following this ministry for awhile, you’ll recognize “Yeshua (יהושע) ”as the original name for Jesus, from Hebrew and Aramaic. “Yehoshua was the common name, but it was often shortened to Yeshua. Yehoshua and Yeshua are the same as Joshua in English — meaning “the Lord is salvation.” So why don’t we call the Messiah “Yeshua” or “Joshua” instead of Jesus? The full story can get very complicated, but here is the simple version: If the New Testament had been originally translated from Hebrew into English, His name would likely have been written as “Joshua.” But that’s not what happened. The earliest New Testament copies we have are written in Greek. Those were translated into Latin on their way to English. Each translation comes with adjust- ments needed for those languages. For example, English doesn’t have some of the guttural sounds that other languages have, so when moving words into English, some sounds get eliminated. The same thing occurs between other languages. Today’s English translations from the original Hebrew and Greek keep the previously established — and now familiar — names and their spellings to avoid confusion. So, “Yeshua” from Hebrew to Greek to Latin to English looked like this: Yeshua) ➞ ′Ιησoυ˜ς (Iesous) ➞ Iesus ➞ Jesus) ישוע which sounds like… yeh-SHU-a ➞ ee-AY-soos ➞ ee-AY-soos ➞ GEE-suhs

Moving “Yeshua” into Greek was a rough journey: To Index with a “yeh” sound becomes an (י) Greek doesn’t have a “Y” sound, so the yod • IH (iota eta or ′Ιη) with an “ee-AY” sound — as close to “yeh” as Greek manages. The eta (η) character originally had an “H” sound but had changed to a long A (“ay”) by around 400 b.c. • Greek also has no “SH” sound, so that becomes just a sigma (σ) or S (“ess”). • Male names often end in “S” in Greek rather than with a vowel sound, so a trailing sigma (ς) for S was added to the end to make it properly male in Greek. My name is Gregory, but in Greek it’s Gregorius. (I was named after my Greek great-grandfather.) The English letter “J” was originally a decorative “I” (often used at the start of a word), and both were pronounced like “Y” in “yet.” Eventually, “J” took on a sound of its own. The original 1611 King James translation used “I” in spelling Iesus, but the subsequent Geneva Bible popularized the “J” spelling by the 1700s. So, when “I” became “J,” “Iesus” became “Jesus” (which, as you can see, has nothing to do with Zeus, as some claim). The “J” is a reasonable replacement for “Y”: Yerushalayim in Hebrew becomes “Jerusalem” in English. In Romans 10:13, Paul quotes Joel 2:32: “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” I believe this is true no matter what language you speak or which name you use for Him. God has many names and titles. He knows our hearts and knows to whom we are calling when we cry out “Jesus” in English or “Yeshua HaMashiach” (Jesus the Christ) in Hebrew.

Many Messianic Jewish Believers prefer calling Messiah Yeshua rather than Jesus, since Yeshua reflects His Jewishness. Now you know why, thanks to Greg’s detailed explanation. — David 1 7 For Part 1 please see the the last month’s Levitt Letter. The Yom Kippur War: When Israel Was Judged and Nearly Failed PART 2: BY ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ (r) BreakingIsraelNews.com credit: Israel Defense Forces

An Israeli Centurion tank in 1973

During Israel’s 1973 Yom Kippur War, many individual heroic efforts saved the Jewish state. Here is one of them. “Random Soldiers” Zvika Greengold, a 21-year-old lieutenant, was visiting his parents at Kibbutz Lohamei HaGheta’ot (Ghetto fighters) near Haifa for the 1973 Yom Kippur holiday. To It was a short leave from the army before he began a company commander Index course. When he heard that war had broken out, he hitchhiked to the Nafah base in the Golan. All of the tanks were on the battlefield, engaged in holding back the enemy wave, so Zvika helped with the wounded who were flowing into the base. When two damaged Centurion tanks were repaired, Zvika jumped at the chance, taking command of random soldiers and unfamiliar tanks. His first encounter with the enemy was the 51st Syrian Tank Brigade that had broken through Israeli lines. In the first moments of battle, Zvika’s tank accounted for six kills. In the darkness, the Syrian tanks had approached to within 33 feet of Zvika, which in tank-terms is “point blank.” An exploding enemy tank knocked out Zvika’s radio. In the heat of battle, he jumped from his tank and took command of a second tank. Night fell, and the two Israeli tanks, with no radio contact, lost each other in the darkness. Zvika’s tank was alone when he faced the 452nd Tank Battalion. A long line of Syrian tanks, with better fighting ability and night vision, came at him. He dodged the enemy, shooting and moving, using the cover of dark to his advantage. In frustration, the Syrians turned on their searchlights, making Zvika’s job easier. Ten Syrian tanks were either damaged or dead when the Syrian forces pulled back, convinced that they had encountered a large Israeli force. Afraid that the enemy was listening in on radio communications, Zvika did not want to give away the desperate situation and the fact that he was fighting alone. He identified himself to the Israeli high command as “Zvika Force.” Colonel Yitzhak Ben-Shoham, the brigade commander, assumed it to be at least company strength (80–250 soldiers). Later that night, “Zvika Force” joined up with two platoons (20–50 soldiers each) (continued next page) 8 Abandoned Syrian T-62 tank on the Golan Heights of reserve tanks. They encountered a large force of Syri- an tanks. In the first moments of the engagement, Zvika’s tank was hit, injuring his crew and leaving him badly burned. He leapt from the tank, his uniform on fire, and commandeered another tank. For the rest of the night, he credit: battled the Syrians, changing tanks several times, and fighting Israel Defense Forces, Egged on despite his injuries. Historical Archive By morning, “Zvika Force” was winning the battle against the Syrian 51st Tank Brigade but got a desperate call to pull back. Nafah, the command center for all IDF forces in the Golan, was being threatened by 80 T-62s, the most advanced tanks at the time. Zvika arrived with the 679th Reserve Armored Brigade in time to see IDF forces abandoning the Nafah base as Syrian tanks smashed their way in. “I can’t anymore” When IDF forces finally repelled the Syrian attack, Zvika climbed out of his tank and collapsed, mumbling, “I can’t anymore.” He had been battling the enemy for 20 hours nonstop, changing tanks six times as they were shot out from under him, and claiming at least 20 tank kills. Other estimates put that number at 40. Israel had destroyed over 900 Syrian tanks, while only seven Israeli tanks remained operational at the end of the fight. Over 2,600 Israeli soldiers were killed and 9,000 wounded, making it the second bloodiest war in Israeli history, after the War of Independence. At the end of the Yom Kippur War, the IDF awarded Zvika Greengold the Medal of Valor for his extraordinary heroism. He is one of only eight soldiers to have earned the medal. To Index God continues to raise up heroes to defend His Covenant Land. — Kirsten 1

left: Syrian Attack, 6–10 October 1973, right: Israel Attack on 11–12 October 1973 and Arab Counterattacks Until the Cease-fire, both maps from Department of History, U.S. Military Academy 9 Classic Zola Levitt from 1990 God’s Blessings and Cursings 30 years ago PART 2: In 1990, Zola’s article for the annual convention of National Religious Broadcasters became a history — spiritual and political — of Israel since the 1st century. Last month, we looked at an issue that has consumed reporters since the 1st century: Who really owns the land of Israel?

Israel Under the Turks At the time of the Crusades, when the Turks rode in, reforestation received a new meaning. These crude conquerors replaced the precious trees of the Holy Land with saltwater swamps. In the absence of its true owners — the Jews — Israel was desecrated. Not until the arson of the 20th-century intifada was the Holy Land again so purposely reduced in beauty, value, and comfort. God’s country became barren and very nearly uninhabitable. Israel in religious pagan hands fared no better than Israel in Roman hands. The rest of Israel’s sad story under occupying regimes is within modern recollection. The armies of two world wars used the Promised Land as a battlefield To when convenient. The British made every Index possible effort to keep the true owners out, stubbornly postponing the moment of recovery that would finally ensue when Abraham’s rightful descendants returned. But finally, in spite of the Romans, the Arabian Moslems, the Crusaders, the Turks, and the British, the Augustus of Prima Porta, marble statue, (microphone added), 1st century a.d., Vatican Museums, Rome Children of Israel did return, in an amazing fulfillment of voluminous Biblical prophecy. And at last, the land that they loved from afar received overdue care. The real answer to “Who ought to have Israel?” became obvious.

Israel Reclaimed The land truly received some healing when the Jewish people reclaimed it in 1948. They planted trees by the hundreds of millions, drained swamps, and eliminated one of mankind’s deadliest foes — malaria — from the rebirthed State of Israel. Using irrigation wholesale to reclaim fertile territories from the wilder­ness soon produced in the Promised Land the most magnificent visions of the prophets. Truly, “the desert blossomed as a rose” (Isaiah 35:1). The local populations prospered. Arabs who had lived in the land for centuries suddenly had the modern world delivered to their doorsteps — or, in some cases, to their tents. Water became plentiful and clean; doctors appeared within reach of every village, inoculating children and treating their parents. Schools sprang up throughout the land. Lifespans increased dramatically. The Jews, wanderers for almost two millennia, brought the 20th century back with them to their land. (continued next page) 10 Detail of Jacques DeMolay takes Jerusalem, 1299, a fanciful painting created in 1846 by Claudius Jacquand, hanging in the "Hall of Crusades" in Versailles

The world has seen some 600 years of Roman rule, about 1,300 years of on-and-off Moslem rule, and four decades [now seven] of Jewish rule in the Land of Israel. Thank God for those last decades! Nobody loves a land like its rightful owners. Pride of owner­ ship is not a myth. If we are the new generation of religious broadcasters, and if we again have the task of opining about the land of Israel, then let us learn from history. The secular forces who have controlled this ancient land merely exploited it. Alien religious forces abused the land and failed to keep up with the times. Only the Chosen People of the Bible, to whom the land was given Scripturally, have really cared for it. Biblically, a new Kingdom is coming, and it will be headquartered in Israel. After millennia of strife, the land really does need this 1,000-year age of peace. Even if our religious broadcasting brethren of the first century were divided over who should control this important land, we should not be. As Israel is prepared for its greatest role — the earthly home of the Kingdom of Peace — let us accord it to those to whom God gave it in the beginning. The children of Abraham will care for His land. And as the psalmist admonished: “Let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem. They shall prosper who love thee!” (Ps. 122:6).

Va’avaracha m’varcheicha umekalelcha a’or — “And I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you.” — Genesis 12:3 1

To Index The Green Horse book by Norma Archbold A 21st-century exposé of misinformation, The Green Horse explains Islam’s history, modern status, and ongoing agenda in a Biblical context. Plainly written with remarkable detail, it contains user-friendly subtitles, illustrations, tables, charts, underlined text, and maps. It includes a 5-page bibliography and Bible references and a “Gallery of Peace Promises and Terror Victims.” Named for the Angel of Death’s horse in Revelation 6:8 — translated as “pale” but in reality “chloros” (“green”), the traditional color of Islam — this 238-page trove of scholarly treasures is fun to skim, worthwhile­ to read, and handy as a reference book. The Mountains of Israel book by Norma Archbold As Zola’s guest on TV, Archbold presents a refreshing perspective on the Arab-Israeli conflict, especially for those who have studied Israel from a Scriptural view. Enlightening maps, illustrations, charts, and references provide a geographi­cal orientation to the war game of all eternity. Readers will find eye-opening quotes from witnesses who were in the Holy Land during the 18th and 19th centuries. Their descriptions characterize Israel as a treeless, barren wasteland before the Jewish people’s return. Equally helpful to gentiles and Jews, Mountains remains valuable reading since it is presented from a Biblical point of view — God’s Word and His plan, of course, remain unchanged.

11 Ask the Chaplain Does the curse of King Jeconiah Dr. Todd Baker Zola Levitt Ministries prevent Jesus/Yeshua from Staff Theologian Q. being the Messiah?

No. Univocally no. Jeconiah — also spelled “Jehoiachin” (1 Chron. 3:16, niv) and “Coniah” (Jeremiah 22:24) — was a king of Judah who was deported A. as part of the Babylonian captivity (Esther 2:6; 1 Chronicles 3:17). Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus lists Jeconiah in Joseph’s family line (Matthew 1:12). The curse of Jeconiah is found in Jeremiah 22:24–30. First, the Lord likens the king to a signet ring on God’s hand — a ring that God will pull off (v. 24). Then, God pronounces a curse: “Record this man as if childless, a man who will not prosper in his lifetime, for none of his offspring will prosper, none will sit on the throne of David or rule anymore in Judah” (v. 30). One of rabbinic Judaism’s mainstream arguments holds that Jesus of Nazareth cannot possibly be the Messiah because Jeconiah, His ancestor, was cursed by God and all descendants barred from ruling on the throne of David. The divine curse proclaimed that no Jeconiah descendant would sit on David’s throne as king of Israel. The curse seems to invalidate Yeshua’s right to sit on the throne of David as the Messiah. The Davidic Covenant promised that the Messiah, the “Son of David,” would reign forever on David’s throne (1 Chronicles 17:11–14). If Yeshua is a descen- Jehoiachin-Jeconiah (1553) dant of Jeconiah and the curse bars any of Jeconiah’s engraving by Guillaume Rouille To descendants from assuming David’s throne, how can Index He be the Messiah? There are three possible solutions. First, the “offspring” of Jeconiah mentioned in the curse could be a limited reference to the king’s own children — his immediate offspring. On a related note, the phrase “in his lifetime” could apply to the entire verse 30. The curse would only be effective while the king lived. This is exactly what happened: Jeconiah was not successful as a king. He reigned for only three months before surrendering to Nebuchadnezzar’s forces, and none of his sons (he had seven of them, 1 Chronicles 3:17–18) reigned over Judah. A second solution concerns the virgin birth. Yeshua only had one human parent, Mary. His mother was of David’s line, but not through Jeconiah (Luke 3:31). Joseph was Yeshua’s legal but not biological father. Thus, Yeshua was of royal blood through Mary, but the curse of Jeconiah that passed through Joseph was not passed on to Jesus. A third solution: God reversed the curse on Jeconiah’s family. The prophet Haggai hinted at this possibility when he told Zerubbabel, Jeconiah’s grandson, that God would make him a “signet ring” on God’s hand (Haggai 2:23). God blessed Zerubbabel as the governor of Judea, and he prospered in that role when the Jewish exiles returned to Jerusalem. The “signet ring” imagery of Jeconiah’s curse, repeated in Zerubbabel’s blessing, is not coincidence. Several rabbinic sources do teach that Jeconiah repented in Babylon, and that God forgave him and lifted the curse. Ultimately, though, the curse of Jeconiah did not apply to Jesus, because He rightfully inherited the Davidic Throne by natural descent through Mary. Since God is the Father of Yeshua, Yeshua did not inherit the curse of Jeconiah. Problem solved! 1 12 Cindy Bayer Jerusalem in 2020 ZLM contributor Today, the streets of Jerusalem are quiet, apart from the afternoon cacophony of muezzins — six minarets surround me. The city, even the entire nation, has been bereft of tourists and pilgrims for several excruciating months. A raggedy-looking­ Old City cat deftly scales a massive metal fence at the usually bustling Austrian Guesthouse onto an adjoining stone wall. The movement raises the ire and interest of two Labrador Retriever sentinels on the rooftop across the Via Dolorosa from me at the Sisters of Zion Church. Such is the excitement here. (sigh) My childhood ballet teacher Ms. Zoll taught me that the absence of a spotting point to keep in focus while performing pirouettes makes balance impossible. Pad- Dog Days of Summer locks and shuttered doors adorn this Old City street; my In the uncomfortable middle of the spotting point is the light I see at the end of the tunnel. dog days, the extreme heat wasn’t the only cause of our malady. On the up to this date “the dire straits.” The saddest day on the Jewish calendar, people here go into mourning. Tisha B’Av (July 30 this year), we The term “dog days” of summer has recount a long history of catastrophes. an interesting background. Ancient Central is the destruction of the First cultures, like the Greeks and Romans, Temple (586 b.c. at the hands of the identified Sirius (translated “scorching”) To Babylonians) and the Second Temple as the brightest star in the sky. Sirius Index (a.d. 70 by the Romans) occurring 656 is also called the Dog Star because it years later, but on the exact same date. is the most prominent in the constel- Jews call the three weeks leading lation Canis Major. One morning just before sunrise, I saw Sirius nipping at the heels of the constellation Orion the Hunter as they rose over the Mount of Olives to herald another scorching day for Jerusalemites in face masks. With so much of the news reporting doom and gloom, God’s words to Job have become my spotting point. He said, “Listen to this, O Job. Stand and consider the wonders of God (37:14),” and “Can you lead forth a constel- lation in its season (38:32)?” Job answered Him, “I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. I will ask You, and You instruct me (Job 42:2, 4).” Remember the truths of the African-­ American spiritual hymn “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” … and breathe. 1

A look of defeat as this dog realizes that the cat is in an unreachable place. At times I feel like that as I try to chase “normal.” 13 A Note from Mark by Mark Levitt The State of the Ministry ZLM Director In 1983, President Ronald Reagan organization’s compliance with solid, advised, “The Biblical principles rather than simply state of the Union assigning potentially capricious scores is strong, but (ecfa.org/Content/RatingMinistry). the economy is Thanks to updating our weekly televi- troubled.” Today, sion program’s name from Zola Levitt as our ministerial Presents to Our Jewish Roots in outreaches con- January, we were able to add the tinue to flourish, national TBN and TCT television every nation is networks. Their additional broadcasts enduring tectonic have helped to maintain and grow our upheaval above viewership — just in the nick of time, and beyond the waxing and waning PTL. Meanwhile the integrity of our pandemic (2 Tim 3:1). The state of this two-Testament teaching stays intact, ministry is strong, but many of our as does www.levitt.com’s free archive viewers and readers are troubled; and of all of Zola’s best Bible teaching. they, of course, are ZLM’s lifeblood.* Much has transpired since I wrote “Reading Between the Stars” (August 2019 Levitt Letter). ZLM had once again received Charity Navigator’s top rating of four stars, which was based largely on our 2017 finances. Now our 2019 financial statements seem a shoo-in for four stars again. Though both of our Holy Land tour o e Darrell Keller has been our ministry’s groups had to stay home this year, we volunteer financial auditor for thirty remain primed for March and October years. His diligent daughter Mary Grace, pilgrimages in 2021. Our travel man- also a CPA, works at his side. Each ager Sandra is also a seasoned mail year, they require a brief narrative to processor, so she has had plenty to do complement their examination of our during Israel’s tourism sabbatical — in- bookkeeper’s financial reports and cluding accepting refundable deposits the integrity of our files. What you’re in case you’d like to reserve a spot for reading now will fulfill that request. our next study tour, March 8–21. Then their audit will satisfy one of Ministry management is proactively many requirements for our ECFA girding the organization’s loins membership’s annual renewal. throughout (Jer. 1:17). Staffers are The Evangelical Council for Financial receiving office equipment that Accountability (ECFA) charges nom- enables them to work from home. inal fees for scrutinizing Berg Productions is replacing its its Christian members. tired workhorse video production Members like ZLM equipment that has become slow and must adhere to ECFA’s outdated. We are making contingency Seven Standards of plans for David and Kirsten to film Responsible Stew- remotely from their hometown if the ardship. After we need arises. Soon we’ll explore remote complete a detailed filming in Israel to ensure fresh Holy questionnaire each year, Land footage despite locked borders. the ECFA evaluates each Thanks to you! 1

* This ministry is only as good as its donors, and you truly are the best of the best! 14 ZLM Bulletin Board

Do Jewish Lives Matter? (part 2) (note: see last month’s Bulletin Board for part 1) Yes, if you ask NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (pictured on left), who blasted both the sports and entertain- ment industries for a lack of outrage over recent incidents of anti-Semitism. Unfortunately, Rapper Ice Cube (on right) roundly criticized fellow Mulsim Kareem for sticking up for Jews. Abdul-Jabbar concluded: “As Martin Luther King Jr. explained: ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ If we’re going to be outraged by injustice, let’s be outraged by injustice against anyone.”

FREE ITEM OOPS! Pamphlet of Caught red-handed: the Month “Charming A well-planned will is often Kitten” — one the centerpiece of an of the most effective and thoughtful active state-sponsored estate plan, making it espionage teams linked to the govern- possible to distribute cash, ment of Iran. They accidentally uploaded investments, real estate, o e five hours of videos of themselves train- and personal property to ing junior team members to hack and family and others. A will steal data from Google and Yahoo email can reduce settlement accounts. In May, IBM’s X-Force security costs and make “gifts of a team discovered and shared the Iranians’ lifetime” to favorite charities. footage, which offered rare insight into The pamphlet Questions & hands-on hacking and was likened to a Answers about Wills and poker player showing his hand. Bequests addresses who needs a will and who needs an updated will. To receive a free copy, Serpent’s Corner: 5 Steps email us at [email protected] or write to our P.O. Box. Investing has been a scary roller coaster Request POM #21. ride lately, and there’s a lack of consensus among professional investors. Carl Richards, known as the Sketch Guy, is a financial planner and author. You can see his recent “Come Home!” NY Times article, “Your 5-Step Guide to Navigating a Scary Stock Market” at: Zola nytimes.com/2020/06/26/business/ Tours investing-stock-market-fear.html to Israel His explanations bring to mind many Levitt Letter “Wise As A Serpent” pieces, available at levitt.com/essays. (Matt. 10:16) See page 36 for details

OCTOBER 2020 . ZLM . PO BOX 12268 . DALLAS TX 75225-0268 . (214) 696-8844 . WWW.LEVITT.COM 15 Hebrew Lesson by John Parsons Hebrew for Christians Beware the Seeming Way Hebrew4Christians.com

Our postmodern culture celebrates “relativism” — the spurious notion that there is no such thing as objectively knowable truth. It is a self-contradiction­ to say that it is (objectively) true that there is no objective truth. The unthinking acceptance of this sophistical perspective leads to mindlessness, the lack of creativity, moral stupidity, apathy, and delusional thinking. Popular culture preaches that there are no moral absolutes. Therefore, terms like “right” and “wrong,” “just” and “unjust,” “true” and “untrue” should (ahem) be translated as expressions of “preference” without any reference to moral categories or structures that extend beyond the individual (or sometimes collective) will. According to this backwards view, Mother Teresa was no better a person than Adolf Hitler. So genocide, slavery, murder, and so on, are “lifestyle choices” that express individual or collective preference but nothing else. Indeed, such a viewpoint claims that there is no way to infer an “ought” from an “is” (no “prescription” from “description”). Therefore, assigning moral praise, blame, o or responsibility is ultimately meaningless. e Understand, then, that the uncritical acceptance of epistemological and moral relativism stifles the life of the mind by implying that there is no difference between truth and error, between good and evil, between beauty and ugliness, between logical and illogical thinking, and so on. However, since language and meaning are necessarily grounded in logic, naive relativism is ultimately c to unintelligible and incommunicable, since logic assumes that meaning and rules of inference serve as the conditions of any expression of thought. The thinking of our postmodern culture is not based on careful reflection or reason- ing. It is essentially a matter of brute force, and therefore it is rightly to be regarded as irrationalism, an implied appeal to violence, and depraved thinking. Of course, this sort of relativism is a very useful indoctrination technique. It is regularly used by political agitators, the media, by government propagandists,­ con artists, and even by some pastors — in short, by anyone who relies on having unthinking people that they can manipulate and control. Therefore, the thoughtful person of truth, that is, the person of genuine moral conviction derived from intuitive axioms of reasoning, will always be regarded as an enemy to those who live and practice the lie. Zola’s Introduction to Hebrew book was written by John Parsons. To delve Courtesy: The Jerusalem Connection more into the Hebrew language, this book is a must. See page 18. — David 1

OCTOBER 2020 . ZLM . PO BOX 12268 . DALLAS TX 75225-0268 . (214) 696-8844 . WWW.LEVITT.COM 16 FEATURED ZLM Store ITEM The Holocaust DVD Set Six half-hour TV programs on two DVDs Selected from our Signs of the End series, these six programs cover the most tragic event in history. Zola Levitt and his crew report on the awful Holocaust through hard-hitting interviews and an on-location taping at Dachau Concentration Camp near Munich, Germany. (Please see related letter on p. 24.)

They Survived Includes interviews with Holocaust survivors Dr. Eric Kulka and Efraim Zuroff. Dr. Tom McCall also interviews the head of research at Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust History Museum and the director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Jerusalem. An Eyewitness at Dachau A visit to Dachau Concentration Camp near Munich. Includes interviews with Dachau survivor Bikolas Lehner and with an American eyewitness who o visited the camp just after the war in 1946. e A Spy Among Neo-Nazis An interview in Israel with Yaron Svoray, investigative reporter and spy. He gives background regarding the motivations of his mission to go undercover for eight months among neo-Nazis in Germany. c to Nazis Today Zola continues his interview with Yaron Svoray. Yaron shows photos that he took of neo-Nazis during his undercover mission — evidence about credit: John Knott / The Dallas Morning News which the German government has done nothing. Two Rabbis Includes interviews with Rabbi Stan Eisenberg in Fort Worth and Rabbi David Rosen in Jerusalem. Two rabbis in different hemispheres share a common concern about anti-Semitism. Righteous Gentiles Jeane Kirkpatrick, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN, shares her concern for political support by all democracies for the State of Israel. Pam Rosewell Moore, who was Corrie ten Boom’s companion and secretary, reveals some special insights into Corrie’s survival during the Holocaust. Cartoon featured in the April 3, 1933 edition of The Dallas Morning News OCTOBER 2020 . ZLM . PO BOX 12268 . DALLAS TX 75225-0268 . (214) 696-8844 . WWW.LEVITT.COM 17 ZLM product ORDER FORM We Accept PayPal! Zola’s Classic Study Booklet Library Qty. Title Price Total �� A Christian Love Story...... $3______�� Glory! The Future of the Believers...... $3______�� How Can a Gentile Be Saved?...... $3______

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Books O �� An Epic Love Story...... (Part of 50-book offer above) $3______�� The Beginning of The End...... $8______�� The Bible Jesus Read...... $10______�� Broken Branches (Zola on Replacement Theology)...... $6______�� Genesis One — A Physicist Looks at Creation...... $5______�� The Green Horse — The Bible & Islam (Archbold) (p. 11).... $12______�� Heaven and Earth...... $18______�� The Iranian Menace...... $8______�� Israel’s Right to the Land...... $2______�� The Mountains of Israel (Norma Archbold) (p. 11)...... $10______New! o �� Once Through the New Testament...... $9______e �� Our Hands are Stained with Blood (p. 21)...... $16______�� Signs of the End: The Millennium...... $7______�� What About Us?...... $8______�� Whose Land Is It? (pictured)...... $6______�� Zola’s Introduction to Hebrew (pictured)...... $39______c to Featured DVDs �� Bad Moon Rising...... (8 programs, 2-DVDs) $49______�� Beauty for Ashes (see p. 24).... (9 programs, 2-DVDs) $59______�� Best of Zola’s Music Videos...... (3+ hours, 2-DVDs) $49______�� The Bible: The Whole Story... (7 programs, 2-DVDs) $39______c to �� Called Together...... (8 programs, 2-DVDs) $49______ �� Close Encounters w/ Yeshua....(10 programs, 2-DVDs) $59______�� Divine Deliverance...... (12 programs, 3-DVDs) $69______To order: �� Evidence of God...... (8 programs, 2-DVDs) $49______Online: �� The Holocaust (p. 17)...... (6 programs, 2-DVDs) $39______store.levitt.com �� Jehovah’s Treasure ...... (70 minutes, 1-DVD) $19______�� Joshua...... (8 programs, 2-DVDs) $49______c to Phone 24/7: �� Kings and Kingdoms (see p. 21)..... (8 progs., 2-DVDs) $49______800-966-3377, �� Journey of Restoration...... (10 programs, 2-DVDs) $59______ZLM Dallas office: �� Return to Eden ...... (10 programs, 2-DVDs) $59______214-696-8844 �� NEW! Revelation (pictured) ...... (8 programs, 2-DVDs) $49______Print/tear out this 2-pg. form, �� The Stones Cry Out (p. 20)....(12 programs, 3-DVDs) $69______fill out box at right, and mail to: �� Times of the Signs...... (8 programs, 2-DVDs) $49______c to ZLM, Box 12268 �� Thy Kingdom Come...... (12 programs, 3-DVDs) $69______ Dallas TX 75225 �� Whose Land Is It? (pictured)..... (3 programs, 1-DVD) $19______�� Zion Forever...... (9 programs, 2-DVDs) $59______18 ORDER FORM continued UNIQUE WITNESSING ITEMS! Studies, Specialty, Etc. Qty. Item Price Total �� 2-flag Collar Pin (pictured)...... $2______�� AHAVA Mineral Body Lotion 17 oz...... $49______�� AHAVA Mineral Foot Cream 3.4 oz...... $22______�� AHAVA Mineral Hand Cream 3.4 oz...... $23______�� Flag of Israel (3' x 5')...... $10______�� Genealogy Chart...... $10______�� Grafted-In Gold Decal (1.2" x 3" hand-cut)...... $2______�� Grafted-In Lapel Pin ...... $10______�� Half-shekel Key Chain...... $10______�� NEW! Jewish Heritage Calendar (5781 / 2021) (pictured) $6______�� Messianic Grafted-In Sterling Silver Necklace ...... $39______�� Names of God Notecards (set of 12)...... $24______�� Pictorial Map of Jerusalem (p. 36)...... $12______�� Pilgrim’s Map of the Holy Land (p. 36)...... $12______�� “Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem” Bumper Sticker... $2______�� The Prophesied Messiah Bookmark...... 2 for $1______�� The Classic Zola Collection ...... 80 products for $999______�� Institute of Jewish-Christian Studies (info only)..... no charge Teaching CDs �� Discovering Our Jewish Roots (pictured)...... (9 CDs) $39______�� A Survey of the New Testament...... CD $7______�� Zola Teaches the New Testament (pictured)..(6 CDs) $29______Music CDs: Hear samples at levitt.com/music �� Faith in the Fire ...... (Music CD) $12______o �� Next Year in Jerusalem (pictured)...... (Music CD) $12______e �� The Works...... (Zola’s first 8 albums on 4 CDs) $49______�� The Works II...... (Zola’s next 8 albums on 4 CDs) $49______PLEASE SEND THIS ENTIRE 2-PAGE ORDER FORM — THANKS.

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The Stones Cry Out DVD Set Twelve 30-minute TV programs (3 DVDs) Archaeological discoveries continue to validate the Biblical record. To film “dig” sites and interview experts, Zola journeyed to Israel and Jordan. Just as our Lord said about this remarkable Land, The Stones Cry Out. The Tunnel Zola walks the tunnel under the west- ern edge of the Temple Mount. We get a journalist’s perspective of the Palestinian uproar that erupted when the tunnel was opened to the public in 1996. A Tale of Two Temples An unearthed marketplace shows the Roman destruction of the Temple. Mount Gerizim to the north hosts the excavation of a Samar­ itan temple patterned after the Jerusalem Temple. Rulers in Stone Caesarea, on Israel’s Mediterranean coast, has yielded first-century finds such as the first extra-Biblical reference to Pontius Pilate, and a full-size Temple replica. At Tel Dan, the “House of David” has been confirmed archaeologically. The Jerusalem That Was Bible Lands Museum houses a model of Jerusalem as it would have looked in 586 b.c. In the City of David, we examine a four-room house, o typical architecture for ancient Israelites. e Past and Future Destruction Ongoing excavations at Hazor have unearthed Canaanite idols and confirmation of the city burning as recorded in Joshua 11. The Valley of Armageddon holds prophetic archaeological significance. Archaeology and the Scriptures In Jerusalem, Zola explains the history of the Citadel, also called “David’s Tower.” We talk with the Israel Antiquities Authority. Cities of the Past Zippori was a thriving cultural center in Galilee that probably influenced Jesus as a boy in Nazareth. Ekron was one of five prominent Old Testament cities of the Philistines. Shadows from the Past A chamber of tombs, near the Garden Tomb but dated to the time of the First Temple, helps us understand burial customs of that day. We visit the Qumran cave where the first Dead Sea Scroll was found. A Tale of Three Cities In Biblical times, a business relationship existed between three Jordan Valley cities: Beit Shean, Rehovot (west of the Jordan River), and Pella (east of the Jordan River). We visit excavations in each city. The Rose Red City The ancient Nabataeans were famous for their skill in rock carving. Petra, their capital southeast of the Dead Sea, is the “rose-red city” known for its magnificent buildings carved into the native rock. A Man Crucified On display at the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem, a man’s heel bone that was pierced by a nail is the first archaeological proof of Roman crucifixions in Israel. Truth from the Stones Zola discusses how the artifacts shown throughout this series illuminate Scripture, and how Believers can be encouraged when The Stones Cry Out. Please see the archaeology articles beginning on page 32. OCTOBER 2020 . ZLM . PO BOX 12268 . DALLAS TX 75225-0268 . (214) 696-8844 . WWW.LEVITT.COM 20 How Believers Vote BY CLAYTON HERRING / Berg Productions

Last year, Zola Levitt Ministries created their ability to serve where society a television series that would be needs them. Each Believer wants to appropriate for election years. Kings live a life with the Godly vision and and Kingdoms aired on Our Jewish values that lead to sanctification. We Roots in May and June to our ministry’s want sanctification for our home, our receptive audience. Filmed on location congregation, and our nation. in Israel, the eight-part teaching from Whether voting for the local city Dr. Jeffrey Seif examines the rulers of council, the mayor, or the president, we ancient Israel and Judah, from King exercise influence. Some people say Saul until the Babylonian captivity. that religion has no place in the public The legacies of these kings reveal square, but those of us who believe that lessons in Godly leadership and princi- the Bible is the inspired Word of God ple — concepts we can observe and use hope to use our influence to infuse Bib- as guidelines when we can cast our lical truths into our nation and culture. votes, particularly this November. Here As we saw in the legacies of the is a summary of Dr. Seif’s teaching that ancient kings of Israel and Judah, encourages us Believers to exercise Godly leader­ship results in blessings our right to vote. You can watch it on for the nation, while the opposite is levitt.tv or on our YouTube channel. also true. The lack of Biblical values Christians living in a democratic and virtues in the halls of power leads republic should try to elect leaders a country to ruin. who demonstrate Biblical values and Democracy is not a spectator sport. vision. Wisely exercising our right to Please vote … and vote early for leaders vote requires a good deal of effort to whose actions would make Jesus smile! o discern what characteristics are really e important from those that are not. While our ministry never endorses Just as we parents scrutinize suitors particular candidates, reviewing interested in our children, looking to Kings and Kingdoms before the see if they have compatible values coming election could be advanta- and virtues necessary to sustain a geous for voters who revere the Bible. c to long-term marriage with our child, Besides watching it online, you may we must look at political candidates buy the DVDs on p. 18. — David 1 through a similar lens to evaluate

Our Hands are Stained with Blood book — Now updated! by Michael L. Brown “And they’ll know we are Christians by our love.” Contrary to the sweet sentiment of that hymn’s lyrics, this book documents with unrelenting intensity the prolific anti-Semitism at the hands of the “Church.” From the first “Christian” persecutions of the Jews in the 4th century to the unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust to anti-Semitism in today’s pulpits, this book is a sure cure for someone who imagines persecution of God’s Chosen is a hoax. It is a history every Christian must understand. Dr. Michael L. Brown, founder and president of FIRE School of Ministry in Concord, NC, is widely considered to be the world’s foremost Messianic Jewish apologist. This and many titles also available as eBooks. 21 Some letters have been edited for space. Letters to Z L M For ministry products and TV programs, visit the web store and video archives. Comments from www.levitt.com From M.P. (PA): I have supported your ministry since I was saved in 1992. Zola was my mentor. When he gave the podium to Dr. Gerald Schroeder, I believe that was a black eye on his ministry. But in the August Levitt Letter, Dr. Matthew Tiscareno attacked those of us who believe the Genesis creation account (the Young Earth position). With the Schroeder incident and now this, I cannot recommend the ministry. — M.P. Dear M.P., Dismissing this ministry because of a single article is a bit drastic. Beyond that, you can recommend this ministry with a clear conscience by simply disclosing the teensy proportion of content with which you disagree. If you add up all of our Bible-related teaching from television, mailings, and levitt.com, you might estimate that speculative commentary from Drs. Schroeder and Tiscareno amounts to about 0.56% — or 56 one hundredths of one percent. That would mean that we’re 99 and 44/100ths percent pure, like Ivory soap (Matthew 7:3). Please remember that we have presented time o dilation and other theories to spark discussions on e reconciling science with the Bible — not the other way around. Decades ago, Zola mentioned the Doppler Effect (it seems to impact a sound’s pitch and frequency) as a way to help me imagine “bending” sound or light waves and dilating time (Psalm 144:4). Did you know that the light from neighboring stars is several years old by the time we see it? Some stars that we'll see tonight died years ago. — Mark

Protecting each other Dear David and Kirsten Hart, I was thoroughly disgusted by the photo in the July Person- al Letter, with your ridiculous covered faces bowing down to Red Communist China holding satanic sway over you. God is turning us over to our enemies as we lose our rights, business- David (center, under fish logo) and Kirsten Hart (on dais, left, tilted es, and our country! — P.K. (NH) head) and Jeff Seif (on dais, right) with staff from Berg Productions back in the studios (with masks and social distancing) May 2020 Dear P.K., Wearing facemasks on Our Jewish Roots serves as an example of how to contain the spread of a deadly virus. Americans protect fellow Americans. If you call that allowing “satanic sway,” then let’s agree to disagree. We pray that we don’t infect one another while doing our level best to serve you and others solid Bible teaching. — David and Kirsten (continued next page) OCTOBER 2020 . ZLM . PO BOX 12268 . DALLAS TX 75225-0268 . (214) 696-8844 . WWW.LEVITT.COM 22 Insights to share Dear ZLM, My friend wrote this short paper on keeping kosher. In the right context and with love, this may help to break some of the walls between Jewish and Christian people. God bless you! — B.D. (CA) Dear ZLM, God compelled me to put together a paper “The Meaning to Life,” in which I explain through physics how the universe has an origin, there is a God, and Christ is who He claims to be — all backed up with historical accounts. If you can use this paper in any way to bring people to Christ, please do. The paper is yours. God bless you. — M.C. Dear M.C., Even King Solomon pondered that question. Keep pursuing Biblical truth, and thanks for sharing your findings with us. — David Dear B.D. and M.C., You both may want to participate in our ZolaBoard, found on our website under the "Discussion" tab. You can post your papers for comments and also comment on other conversations. (Prov. 27:17). — ZLM Webmaster

Search your Bible! Dear ZLM, o While eating lunch and reading e my August Levitt Letter, the table of contents caught my attention with “Is There Scientific Evidence for a Young Earth?” If including this article is intended to make the reader to be like the Bereans — “in that they received the Word with all readiness and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” — then Praise the Lord! If not, and your belief is in some gap theory/theistic evolution/day age theory, then feel free to call and I would love to share the Word of God with you. — M.S. Dear M.S., As a teacher of Bible studies and speaker for church events, I value theories that drive people to search their Bibles for what God says. Bravo, then, if Dr. Tiscareno’s article did that for you! — Kirsten Dear M.S., “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” said Jesus to Thomas, who needed that added piece of tangible evidence to satisfy his doubts (John 20:29). The Levitt Letter tries to provide whatever ideas help people believe the Bible’s truth. We include monthly articles on discoveries in archaeology for the same reason: They point to the unquestionable veracity of the Bible’s narra- tive. Seeing is believing for many. And what Kirsten said. — Editor (continued next page)

OCTOBER 2020 . ZLM . PO BOX 12268 . DALLAS TX 75225-0268 . (214) 696-8844 . WWW.LEVITT.COM 23 LETTERS TO ZLM continued

Where’s the Holy Spirit? Dear ZLM, For almost 40 years as a Messianic Jewish follower of Messiah Yeshua, my research has proven there is no such thing as Christianity. It is a bunch of man-made-up junk, as far from Biblical Messianic Judaism as one can get. My husband and I have been in churches where the dogma they practice/ preach is totally unscriptural. Messianic Jewish congregations are no better; they argue that they’re more Jewish than we are! We’ve NEVER felt the presence of the Ruach HaKodesh [Holy Spirit] in any church/Messianic congregation we ever visited. The church body is married to the world and seeker-friendly, Messi-antics included. — Mrs. A.J.M. Dear Mrs. A.J.M., What an essay you sent us (edited for space)! It sounds like you’ve had very negative experiences in churches, and in particular, Messianic congregations. Yet you apparently have been following this ministry … which was founded by a Messianic Jewish Believer and is currently taught by Messianic Jewish Believers. We certainly hope that you feel the Ruach HaKodesh every time you tune in our program — because that is our heart’s desire. — Mark

Suggestions for ZLM Dear ZLM, Why you don’t highlight a person or family murdered in the Holocaust and write something about their lives? It’s important to share these stories of Jews who were important but slaughtered by brutal monsters. — A.S. o Dear A.S., e The Levitt Letter periodically mentions particular Holocaust survivors and also heroes who helped thousands escape horrific murder. Please see page 17 for a description of our TV series The Holocaust. Its first program includes interviews with two Holocaust survivors. This is a Classic Zola series that you can view for free at levitt.tv/media/series/DHO. c to Please also see page 18 to order our TV series Beauty for Ashes, which (continued next page) byDan BIZARRO.COM PiRaro

OCTOBER 2020 . ZLM . PO BOX 12268 . DALLAS TX 75225-0268 . (214) 696-8844 . WWW.LEVITT.COM 24 Crossword October 2020: Divine Deliverance — Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, & Joseph (kjv) (answers on p. 35)

ACROSS DOWN 1. …be fruitful and __… (Gen. 35:11) 4. But bring your __ brother unto me… (Gen. 42:20) 2. And Isaac __ very exceedingly… (Gen. 27:33) o 6. And Joseph found __ in his sight… (Gen. 39:4) 3. …surely the __ is in this place… (Gen. 28:16) e 8. And Jacob __ Pharaoh… (Gen. 47:10) 5. And Jacob __ Rachel… (Gen. 29:11) 11. So Abram __... (Gen. 12:4) 7. This is my __, which ye shall keep… (Gen. 17:10) 12. And Rachel said, God hath __ me… (Gen. 30:6) 9. …sell me this day thy __. (Gen. 25:31) 13. Therefore Sarah __ within herself… (Gen. 18:12) 10. I Am the God of __… (Gen. 31:13) 14. Now Israel loved __ more… (Gen. 37:3) 14. And Rebekah spake unto __… (Gen. 27:6) 18. And Isaac went out to __ in the field… (Gen. 24:63) 15. And the __ was all over… (Gen. 41:56) 19. Abram dwelt in the land of __… (Gen. 13:12) 16. …two __ are in thy womb… (Gen. 25:23) 21. And there was a __ in the land… (Gen. 12:10) 17. And he __, and behold a ladder… (Gen. 28:12) 22. All these are the twelve __ of Israel… (Gen. 49:28) 20. …God will provide Himself a __… (Gen. 22:8)

also includes Holocaust survivor interviews. And see page 21 for details of Michael Brown’s recently updated book Our Hands Are Stained with Blood. — Kirsten

Dear ZLM, I would like to see a series that touches on the subject of the Rapture. Most of us Christians believe in the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17). Do the Jews? I guess not. — R.P. (CA) Dear R.P., Have you watched our recent TV series, Revelation: Unveiling the Visions on Our Jewish Roots? In it, Dr. Seif offers meaty teachings on the Rapture. Also, Zola wrote Raptured (now an eBook) that wonderfully describes this coming event. Zola’s study booklet The Second Coming (see page 18) differentiates between the two separate events. — David 1

OCTOBER 2020 . ZLM . PO BOX 12268 . DALLAS TX 75225-0268 . (214) 696-8844 . WWW.LEVITT.COM 25 Free 3D-Printed Hands For Children SCIENCE: BY JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH (r) BreakingIsraelNews.com credit: Nitzan Zohar, Technion Spokesperson’s Office Spokesperson’s Technion credit: Nitzan Zohar,

3D printed mechanical and robotic prosthetic hands

Students at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa and other volunteers are giving children in Israel, Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Syria, and other areas a helping hand — literally. They have developed and are producing mechanical and robotic prosthetic hands for children using 3D printing. Prof. Alon Wolf’s Biorobotics and Biomechanics lab (BRML) is tikkun olam (re- pairing the world) in action. Together with Haifa3D, a non-profit organization, students from the Technion’s faculties of mechanical engineering, biomedical o engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science work in the BRML e on this unique project. Functional prosthetic hands, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars, are not provided for free to anyone in Israel nor in many places around the world. For a child who is growing constantly, it’s impractical to buy one. Technion students have perfected a method to make the mechanical and robotic hands inexpensively on a 3D printer. The children are able to choose their own colors and logos for the hands — even with prints of superheroes — bestowing pride rather than shame for their new hands, which greatly improve their abilities from catching a ball to performing simple daily tasks. Israeli children are not the only recipients of Technion’s 3D prosthetic hands. Mechanical engineering students taught a group from the West Bank to make the bionic hands themselves on readily available 3D printers. 1

26 Cholesterol Drug Tames COVID-19 MEDICINE: NoCamels.com

Early scientific research has shown that an existing cholesterol drug may help lessen the dangers of COVID-19, downgrading it to the threat of a common cold, according to a new study by Israeli and American scientists. In lab tests, the cholesterol-lowering, FDA-approved drug fenofibrate (Tricor) showed “extremely promising results” by interfering with how the SARS-CoV-2 virus — the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 — is able to reproduce. The study — led by The Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Professor Yaakov Nahmias (an Israeli biomedical engineer) and Dr. Benjamin tenOever (a professor of medicine and microbiology) — appeared in the scientific journal Cell Press this summer.

Researching how the virus reproduces credit: Daniel Hanoch Over three months, Professor Nahmias and Dr. tenOever conducted research on how the SARS-CoV-2 virus changes patients’ lungs to repro- duce itself. They found that the o Hebrew University Professor Yaakov Nahmias conducts e virus prevents the research on COVID-19 with existing cholesterol drug routine burning of carbohydrates, resulting in large amounts of fat accumulating inside lung cells. This is a condition the virus needs to reproduce. Screening FDA-approved medications that inhibit the virus’ reproductive process, researchers found initial success with fenofibrate (Tricor) in vitro. By allowing the cells to burn more fat, the drug breaks the virus’ grip on the cells and prevents SARS CoV-2’s ability to reproduce. Within just five days of treatment, the virus “almost completely disappeared.” Understanding how SARS CoV-2 behaves may help explain why patients with medical conditions such as elevated blood glucose and heart disease often run a higher risk of developing severe cases of COVID-19. “With second-wave infections spiking in countries across the globe, these findings couldn’t come at a better time,” Nahmias said, hailing global cooper- ation for a treatment or cure. Professor tenOever added that the collaboration “demonstrates the power of adopting a multi-disciplinary approach to study SARS-CoV-2 and could truly make a significant difference in reducing the global burden of COVID-19.” “This course of treatment could potentially downgrade COVID-19’s severity into nothing worse than a common cold,” Professor Nahmias offered. Professor tenOever advocates caution: “While fenofibrate does work very well in a Petri dish, this is true for many compounds. It needs to work in vivo (in the body) before anyone gets excited.” 1

27 The Huppah and Sukkot BY TOBEY YANAI (r) JPost.com credit: Moise Nedjar

Detail of Jewish Wedding by Marco Marcuola, Venice, around 1780, Musée d’Art et d’Histoire du Judaïsme c to Jews consider the huppah a symbol of God’s love above the married couple. The traditional huppah features an open sky above, acknowledging God as Creator who infuses marriage with deep spirituality. Reminiscent of the sukkah, the temporary structure erected for Sukkot, the huppah reminds the bride and groom that they are protected by God alone and that God is their To only haven and support. Index The huppah, the Jewish bridal canopy, is one of the most beloved objects of Jewish art. It is steeped in history, customs, symbolism, and beauty. It is both the actual bridal canopy and the ceremony. The Hebrew word huppah, which means “covering, or that which floats above,” is based on the root word hafah, which means to “cover” or “hide,” similar to the word hafaf, to “protect.” This roof for the bride and groom at their wedding is open on all four sides, as Abraham’s tent was, to welcome strangers from all directions.

The Origin of the Huppah Originally, weddings were held outdoors with the hope that the couple would be blessed with a large family, as God’s blessing to Abraham. In the Talmudic period, the grooms’ fathers would set up a royal purple tent or use gold and luxurious scarlet cloth for their sons’ huppot (pl). An especially moving cere- mony involved planting a cedar tree on the occasion of a son’s birth, and a pine tree when a daughter was born. When the child married, the branches and leaves from the tree were used to make the huppah. The medieval community often used a parochet, the embroidered curtain covering the Torah ark. But eventually, using a sacred object for the bridal chamber was deemed inappropriate. Custom turned to marrying under a tallit, the prayer shawl, which was frequently a gift from the bride’s family to the groom. Prior to the 16 th century, the huppah consisted of a veil worn by the bride. Later, it was a cloth spread over the shoulders of the bride and groom. (continued next page)

28 Detail of A Jewish Wedding in Galicia by M. Strayamsky, 19th century, part of Jewish Encyclopedia (1901–1906)

The Construction of the Huppah Unlike many other Jewish ritual objects (e.g., the tallit or mezuzah that follow strict Biblical instructions), the huppah’s only rule for construction is that it be a temporary structure made by human hands. The cloth huppah was originally draped around the bride and groom but was later spread out over their heads. The single cloth under which the couple are joined thus symbolizes both the new household they are forming and public recognition of their new status as husband and wife. Huppot are diverse and reflect personal taste, budget, community influence, season, and The Sixth and I Historic Synagogue’s settings. They can vary from simple cloths to huppah in Washington D.C. elaborate tapestries and embroideries, quilts sewn by family members, to spectacular floral creations. The materials depend on taste, budget, and the ceremony’s location. While some are floral, most are fashioned from fabric: cotton, lace, organza, wool, silk, satin, or velvet. White, symbolizing purity, is the most accepted color, while Hasidic weddings use dark blue velvet. Some are embellished with popular motifs in Jewish art, like Stars of David, pomegranates representing abundance, scenes of Jerusalem, and texts and images from the Sheva Brachot (seven marriage blessings). To The Great Synagogue of Rome Index The Great Synagogue of Rome boasts a majestic huppah in pale green floral brocade, lined in satin with a scalloped valance trimmed credit: David Bastianoni in gold fringe. The processional can employ hand-held huppot; the poles carried by four friends or relatives represent the community’s support in years to come. Poles can be made of metal or wood and can be carved, painted, or wrapped in ribbons or flowers and greenery. After the wedding, the huppah can serve as a wall hanging, bed canopy or bedspread. Some couples have raised their huppah for a baby-nam- ing or bris (circumcision) ceremony.

When Zola married Sandra in 1998, they rented a huppah from a Texas woman who pronounced the word with the most charming redneck Huppah in the Great Synagogue of Rome accent he’d ever heard. — Mark 1

29 credit: Mikhail Yehudanin SELECT MEDIA BRIEFS

Mass grave of Holocaust victims in the Ukraine

286 Holocaust Victims once belonged to a Jewish family. in Ukraine Basements The remains in the basements were By Tamar Beeri / JPost.com collected in sacks and taken for burial in the city’s ancient Jewish cemetery. The bodies of 286 Jews, mostly women and children, were found in May this restored Holocaust monument basements below the town square’s help future generations never forget … marketplace in Sataniv, Ukraine. The and thwart Holocaust deniers. — David once-Polish town was known to have an organized Jewish community where numerous pioneers of the Haskalah Israel’s Hockey Team movement (Jewish Enlightenment) Captain to Play with the once lived. The population survived Polish Auschwitz Team persecution in the region for centuries By Philissa Cramer / JTA.org To Index only to have the Germans come in July When the captain of Israel’s ice 1941 and in May 1942 kill 800 people, hockey team takes the ice for the the majority of them Jews. coming season, he will be just a short Of those, 286 were gassed in chambers walk from the notorious Auschwitz in two separate basements, according concentration camp where Nazis to KGB records as well as eyewitness murdered nearly 1 million Jews reports from those who returned to during the Holocaust. the city after the Second World War. Eliezer Sherbatov, 28, signed recently The basements were opened after the to the local team in Oswiecim, the war, but they were left open without Polish name for Auschwitz. He told moving the bodies, with a sign mark- an Israeli newspaper that he had felt ing it as the place of a mass murder. welcomed and was not fearful that Over the years, however, the entrance hockey fans would wield anti-Semitic disappeared below the rubble of a taunts the way that Polish football ruined house that had been standing fans have drawn criticism for doing. above it. (continued next page) After several legal battles, the local Jewish community finally gained ownership of the basements. Starting

in 2019, searchers found bones and credit: Nim Gluckman articles of clothing belonging to those murdered. A mezuzah, which stands at the doorway of Jewish homes, was found among the rubble, suggesting that the home above the basements

Hockey: Canada v. Israel 30 “People in Poland are happy that by BDS when they speak out for the a Jew from Israel came to play for Jewish state. So it makes clear that Auschwitz,” he said. “I am happy to the aim of BDS is not about peaceful make this history, and of course want protest against political decisions in to help not forget the Holocaust.” Israel. The aim is the destruction and Sherbatov added that the dark delegitimization of the Jewish state history that unfolded less than two by all means. miles from its home rink provided “Secondly, this act of violence shows special motivation to help the team that BDS is not defending freedom succeed. “Because it is Auschwitz, I of speech but trying to suppress any want to win the championship, the opinion that is not compatible with Polish Cup, and the continental title. the political agenda of BDS.” 1 Then everyone will know that I am a Jewish-Israeli.” Temple Mount Sifting Project Update Sherbatov has played hockey since By Zachi Dvira & Dr. Gabriel Barkay, co-directors moving from Israel to Canada as a Since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic, the child. He has been the captain of sifting site at the Masu’ot Lookout has been Israel’s national team, which compris- perhaps the only archaeological site in Israel that es mostly non-professional hockey did not halt operations. With limited staff and local players. “People would hear that I’m volunteers, we have uncovered several significant from Israel and they would laugh. But finds, including clay seal impressions, coins, and then they’d see me on the ice and how gems, and we have made significant progress in fast and strong I am,” he said. the research and publication process of the finds. To Last year we decided to resume the sifting, Index which had been suspended for over two years. German Official Praises Although this increased our budget, we be- Verdict Against lieved that with the help of visitors’ admission BDS Activist fees, the operation would eventually become economically self-sustaining. Indeed, by By Benjamin Weinthal / JPost.com March, we were receiving a substantial number The Hesse commissioner to combat of reservations, such that the income was anti-Semitism lauded a Berlin court covering most of the expenses. But then came decision convicting a Boycott, Divest- the pandemic, and the stream of overseas ment and Sanctions (BDS) movement visitors and reservations immediately stopped. activist for assault. We believe that there is historical significance in continuing to sift the Temple Mount soil. “The court’s decision against an activist The remarkable finds, even since March, of the anti-Semitic BDS movement for certainly justify this commitment. assaulting people during a presen- Along with the sifting operation, our research tation by an Israeli survivor of the activity has also progressed. Although this part Holocaust at Humboldt University in of the project does not depend on income from Berlin is an important success against visitors, we plan to focus solely on topics of the violent character of BDS and its open research that are in an advanced stage. supporters,” Uwe Becker stated. When life started to return to normalcy in the “In two ways, this decision is an early summer, we prepared for a stream of important milestone in the fight sifting participants during the summer and the school vacation. Then came the second wave against Israel-related anti-Semitism of the Covid outbreak. At this point, we are still in Germany,” Becker said. “It unmasks allowed to host small local groups of visitors, and the violent character of the BDS we are operating according to the government movement, because it shows that guidelines that are updated almost daily. We look even Holocaust survivors are attacked forward to more widespread participation. 1 31 Two Archaeological Articles Magnificent Gold Jewelry Excavated in Mount Zion National Park ARCHAEOLOGY: BY DAVID ISRAEL (r) JewishPress.com

Archaeologists working for the University of North Carolina in Charlotte along the southern wall of the Old City in the National Park around the walls of ancient Jerusalem have discovered the remains of the Crusaders’ siege that led to the fall of Jerusalem some 920 years ago. A small building from the same period was excavated in the same location, with gold jewelry, pearls and precious stones embedded in its floor, alongside two crosses and a number of arrowheads. The Crusader siege that lasted five weeks, ended on July 15, 1099, with the conquest of the city by Christian forces and the slaughter of its Jewish and Muslim defenders, which lasted To another week. Index Although most of the Crusader forces concen- trated on the northern side of the city, one of the forces led by Raymond of c to Saint Gilles and his men from Provence in southern France tried to break into the city from the direction of Mount Zion on the

southwestern side. credits: Virginia Winters courtesy of Israel Nature and Parks Authority The chroniclers tell us that Raymond’s men encountered a problem when they tried to bring their siege tower closer to the wall of the city. This was because between the city and the siege forces there was a moat. Raymond paid his men with gold to fill the moat under the cover of night and guide the siege tower to the wall. The efforts to plug the moat were successful, but the Muslims and the Jews set the tower on fire.

The excavations are being conducted by Professors background: The excavation Shimon Gibson and James Tabor from the University near the Old City’s southern wall of North Carolina in Charlotte [who have guested foreground: Jewelry discovered on ZLM’s television program], in cooperation with in the floor of a small building Dr. Rafi Lewis of Ashkelon Academic College. near the area of 1099 fighting (continued next page) 32 The moat, which until now was known only from descriptions of the Crusader chroniclers, was unearthed, showing evidence of fighting. The moat was about 50 feet wide and about 12 feet deep. “This is a significant contribution to our knowledge of the Crusader period,” said Dr. Lewis, who is an expert on Crusader and battlefield archaeol- ogy. “This is because we found the moat mentioned in the sources and we are able to actually reconstruct the line of the fighting front.” The most important findings, including the jewelry, were found by archaeolo- gists who carefully exposed it from the layers of soil where it was embedded. It was suggested that the jewelry may be Egyptian in origin and could have been used as a complex earring that was also used to close a woman’s veil. In addition to these exciting findings, the excavators uncovered the remains of buildings from the First and Second Temple Periods, as well as the extension of the city’s Byzantine Cardo Maximus avenue. These “Indiana Jones” articles about discoveries of artifacts help fulfill Daniel 12:4 about knowledge increasing in End Times. — Kirsten 1 Biblical Name Comparison Supports Book of Jeremiah ARCHAEOLOGY: BY ROSSELLA TERCATIN (r) JPost.com

A comparison between the names mentioned in the Book of Jeremiah and those appearing on archaeological artifacts from the period when the prophet is believed to have lived — around the sixth to seventh centuries b.c. — supports its historicity, To said Dr. Mitka R. Golub, a research fellow at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Index Scholars consider uncovering ancient inscriptions with names that appear in the Bible an important tool to shed light on the historicity of Biblical narratives. In the past few years, Dr. Golub has broadened the concept of what names can teach researchers by focusing her analysis not on specific ones but on their general characteristics and trends. However, as she explained in the journals Biblical Archaeology Review and Israel Exploration Jour- nal, her studies also shed light on cultural differ- ences between the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah that seem to contradict the Scriptural tale, which sees them as two entities descending from one nation. “Archaeology is my second career,” Golub said. “I previously studied and worked as a computer scientist. When I decided to devote myself to archae- Dr. Mitka R. Golub ology, I thought that I could bring my knowledge of statistics to apply quantitative and statistical methods to analyze the data.” The researcher explained that she decided to focus on names. “We have found evidence of many names dating back to the First Temple Period, also known as Iron Age II, and they provide us with a lot of data,” she said. “My approach was not simply to highlight that a specific name on an artifact was also mentioned in the Bible, but to look into the knowledge offered by a collection of names.” Dr. Golub examined collected names from excavated artifacts published in journals and books to gather as many names as possible. She registered features (continued next page) 33 such as their geo- graphical origin, political affilia- tion, and dating as the type of artifact — pottery sherds, jars, seals, and so on. She also paid atten- tion to the presence of a theophoric element: names pre- senting a reference to the divine in their suffixes or prefixes,

Ink-on-clay inscriptions (dated early 8th century b.c.) from Samaria, common among the capital of ancient Israel Jews during the First Temple Period and even more popular over time. Examples: Shema’yahu and Nethanel. The archaeologist compared 92 names from the Book of Jeremiah with 367 names from relevant excavated artifacts. She found out that 63% of the names from the first group featured a Yahwistic element — a reference to yod-hei-vav-hei, the tetragrammaton YHWH or specific name of the Jewish God. Moreover, 10% of the items included the generic divine name El, 7% presented an abbreviated theophoric element — such as Shema, an abbreviation of Shema’yahu; 3% was constituted by names with other divine names, 1% by names with divine appellatives and 16% by other names. The distribution of the categories of To Index names in the second group proved to be similar (50% Yahwistic names; 8% names featuring El; 14% presenting an abbreviated theophoric element, 4% names with divine appellatives and 24% other names). The findings suggest that the group of names mentioned in Jeremiah have the same characteristics of what has emerged in archaeological excavations. One important difference: Within the Yahwistic names mentioned in Jeremiah, the groups of yod-hei-vav and yod-vav seem to be used interchangeably (53% v. 42%), while almost all the epigraphic artifacts present yod-hei-vav. As the first combination of letters was more commonly used in the ancient King- dom of Judah while the latter in the ancient Kingdom of Israel, Golub explained that this element might simply be a sign that the author of Jeremiah did not perceive the difference as important. Also — and more likely — the book was compiled in a later period, when the use of yod-vav had become more common. This observation is consistent with other findings by the scholar revealing different cultures between Judah and Israel, as well as that the Biblical account seems to reflect more closely the Judaic tradition than the Israelite one. New questions and answers on how the names of those who lived thousands of years ago can help shed light on the connection between archaeology and the Bible continue to emerge.

Detailing how archaeology corroborates Scripture (and vice versa) differs from assuming that Holy Land archaeologists suppose that the Bible actually needs corroboration. — Editor 1

34 A cheerful heart is good medicine — JEWISH HUMOR, ETC. Proverbs 17:22

Art Class Rebecca Levin was a kindergarten teacher. One day, during her art lesson, as she was walking around the class observing the children while they were drawing, she stopped at little Leah’s desk. Leah was working very diligently. Rebecca asked, “What are you drawing, Leah?” Leah replied, “I’m drawing God, Miss Levin.” Rebecca paused and then countered, “But no one knows what God looks like, Leah.” Without looking up from her work, Leah responded, “They will in a minute.” 1 Answer Key for October 2020 Crossword (p. 25) Across: Down: 1. Multiply 13. Laughed 2. Trembled 14. Jacob 4. Younger 14. Joseph 3. Lord 15. Famine 6. Grace 18. Meditate 5. Kissed 16. Nations 8. Blessed 19. Canaan 7. Covenant 17. Dreamed 11. Departed 21. Famine 9. Birthright 20. Lamb To 12. Judged 22. Tribes 10. Bethel Index

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of Jerusalem Dallas, TX US Postage Permit #1851 The most important city map Org Non Profit in the world! A marvelous and complete display with over 1,000 names of streets, neighborhoods, etc., with color pictures, churches, Biblical sites, and all the rest, beautifully presented. Pilgrim’s Map of the Holy Land A very special map of modern Israel that also provides sites of Biblical importance. Scriptures are given right on the map so that the reader can locate the cities and towns of Biblical significance. Delivers hours of spiritual pleasure. Box 12268, Dallas, TX 75225 Box 12268,

Zola Levitt Ministries is ECFA approved T I Zola Tours The Acropolis DISCOVER ISRAEL Athens B Experience Israel’s beauty & majesty with . 1 David & Kirsten Hart in SPRING or FALL 2021!

FALL TOUR 2020 Petra The pandemic forced El Al to Jordan cancel our flights and, thus, our Fall Tour. Now we look forward to our 2021 Spring and Fall Tours with even great- er enthusiasm, anticipating a return to our beloved Israel and other lands of the Bible. SPRING TOUR 2021 The Deluxe: Mar. 8–18 Eastern Gate The Temple (Israel only, $5,288) Jerusalem Mount Grand Petra: Mar. 8–21 Jerusalem (Israel & Petra, $6,488) Call Zola Tours at 214-696-9760 or email [email protected]. For more info and registration see: A refundable deposit by credit card will hold your reservation. See you in www.levitt.com/tours Jerusalem! OCTOBER 2020 FOR CREDIT CARD ORDERS OR DONATIONS, YOU MAY CALL 1-800-WONDERS (966-3377). 36